SOHO vs RLJ vs APLE vs PK vs HST

For growth investors, Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc.

(HST) is the stronger pick with 7. 6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -2. 2% for Park Hotels & Resorts Inc. (PK). Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc. (APLE) offers the better valuation at 18. 8x trailing P/E (20. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc. (APLE) a "Buy" — based on 17 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc.

(APLE) is the cheapest at 18. 8x versus RLJ Lodging Trust at 597. 6x. On forward P/E, Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. is actually cheaper at 19. 8x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc.

(HST) delivered a total return of +43. 6%, compared to -34. 5% for RLJ Lodging Trust (RLJ). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: HST returned +74. 6% versus RLJ's -29. 9%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Sotherly Hotels Inc.

(SOHO) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 52β versus Park Hotels & Resorts Inc. 's 1. 32β — meaning PK is approximately 154% more volatile than SOHO relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc. (APLE) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 56% versus 8% for Sotherly Hotels Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc.

(HST) is pulling ahead at 7. 6% versus -2. 2% for Park Hotels & Resorts Inc. (PK). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. grew EPS 11. 1% year-over-year, compared to -240. 6% for Park Hotels & Resorts Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, SOHO leads at 12. 5% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc.

(HST) is the more profitable company, earning 12. 5% net margin versus -11. 1% for Park Hotels & Resorts Inc. — meaning it keeps 12. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: APLE leads at 17. 7% versus 8. 9% for PK. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SOHO leads at 25. 7%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

On forward earnings alone, Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc.

(HST) trades at 19. 8x forward P/E versus 24. 4x for Park Hotels & Resorts Inc. — 4. 6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for PK: 2. 8% to $11. 50.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Sotherly Hotels Inc. (SOHO) offers the highest yield at 18. 3%, versus 4. 1% for Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (HST).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Sotherly Hotels Inc.

(SOHO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 52), 18. 3% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (SOHO: -26. 4%, PK: -11. 4%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Real Estate sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.